CLINIC COUNTDOWN #6

Today we had our sixth to last chemo treatment. Our second to last back poke. Lot's of 'lasts' are coming up. I truly cannot believe we only have one more round of treatments to go. Three and a half years is a long time and we are almost there. It is a crazy thought and still seems as if it will never get here.



Jake is doing well. His counts were perfect (ANC 1,000) and is right where the doctors expect him to be at. The thing we are trying to concentrate on right now is who Jake is without cancer. I think that when kids are this young and diagnosed with a disease that takes three and a half years to treat, it almost becomes who they are without meaning it to. It was not done purposefully, but it happened nevertheless. He loves the attention he gets from 'having cancer'. Between Make-a-wish and PCMC, it was a lost cause considering how both are so incredible at making these kids feel special. He has gotten to do things his friends never have, all because of cancer. But now, things have been good for so long that Jake does not remember the yucky stuff. He knows if he is getting a spinal tap, he gets the 'sleepy medicine' and gets to stay in clinic most of the day with no school. He gets video games and lots of food. He does not remember being so sick he could not walk or even talk for that matter. He doesn't remember not being able to leave the house because his counts were constantly at zero. He doesn't remember feeding tubes, or TPN or shots or even slowly starving to death. WE remember that, but he doesn't. For which I am so grateful. But, it does bring in the problem of him WANTING to continue treatments and 'have cancer forever'. Today we are working on who he is. And even when he is not undergoing treatment anymore, he is still an amazing kid that is funny and kind and friendly and smart and sweet and so much more than 'the kid with cancer.'

Terrible Twos

Whoever came up with terrible twos and terrific threes clearly never had a three year old. I have never thought two years old was a bad age. In fact, I love it. But about two weeks before each of my children's third birthday the horrendous threes begin to hit. Which means:

No more napping. Testing his boundries by hitting and pinching. Yelling and screaming. Not going to sleep at night even when he has had no nap and refuses to lay down even though his eyes will barely stay open. Yelling out in the middle of the sacrament, "I gotta poo!" And then after he comes back, "I went poo mamma!" Refusing naps. The temper tantrums in the middle of the grocery store because he wants a cupcake with sprinkles on it. Choosing his own clothing... for example, swim trunks when it is snowing outside, a headband and his pirate shoes.

I realize he is testing his boundries and yet, I just have to laugh at the kid. He has more energy packed inside his little body than he knows what to do with. Love him. He definatley keeps our life interesting.

Air Museum

A few more from our visit to the air museum today. (I have a hard time choosing only one picture on that darn picture a day blog. Hence, the extra pictures here.)

Toothless Cole

Cole has had this awful tooth since he was two years old when he knocked it back on the boat in Lake Powell. Luckily it did not fall out, just slightly discolored and stopped growing. The last couple of weeks it has been moving forward, but not getting wiggly if that makes sense. (And not to mention driving me nuts) Yesterday Crew's large head slammed into his mouth and wah-la! Out popped his tooth. After a long search it was found inside Jeff's shoe.

Random-ness

First things first, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF!! He is getting up there in the "old age" range. Our boys asked if he was going to have to start riding in a "chair" soon.

He always complains that I don't ever say how awesome he is, so I would like to dedicate this quote to him for his birthday:
"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."
— Dr. Seuss

Love you honey! Happy birthday!


So chances are I will most likely neglect this blog due to the other one I have going on with a picture a day. It is a little overwhelming. Already. I cannot believe how much time it is taking. Most likely because I was behind when I started. Hopefully once I catch up it will be much easier.

A couple random things that have happened the last few days:

Cole is on a kick about having a new sibling. And not just any sibling. He wants another boy. AND he wants his name to be CUBBY.

Jake just got off steroids last week. Boy. It was a fun one. They have not hit him that hard in a while. I don't think he had a volume other than yelling for three straight days. Thirty-three dosages down, only five more to go.

Jake was in trouble last night and told me, "There is NO viable reason that I should be up here in my room!" What 8-year old uses the word viable? I don't even use the word. And not only that, but how does he know how to use it correctly in a sentence?

We were in a store the other day and I wanted to pull every. single. hair. out of my head. Literally. Three boys running around a store and throwing balls all over the place. Crew running away as fast as he can (and he is FAST!) if you even make one step towards him. So. I did what any normal mom would have done. Put them in a cart, which I should have done in the beginning. And guess what happened? They tipped the cart over. Children inside and all. My angels.

Sometimes, this is what I would like to do with them:

A picture a day

For the past couple of years, I have wanted to try the picture a day for a whole year. I am a little late, but I decided to try and catch up and try it this year. I thought it would be easier and make more sense if I did a whole different blog with it, so the new link is heidi-jeff365days.blogspot.com. We will see if I can actually stay caught up. I will be impressed with myself if I can, but it is one of my goals this year! Loves.

The most wonderful time of the year...

Christmas is always my favorite time of year... it is magical, especially when you have little kiddos running around! We got to spend the holidays with my family this year and it was extra special because everyone got to come visit!
( We took this picture one afternoon and you would not believe the headache it was to take it. It was pretty much painful. And I have taken a lot of pictures. You should see the 'before'. Every single kid had to be switched out and two of the kids were not even in this particular picture. Can you tell which two? I am so glad we got it... I LOVE how it turned out, even for the headache that it caused!)


We went to the make-a-wish Christmas party and got to see Santa. Crew is petrified of him. Which is really ironic to me because he LOVES the disney characters at disneyland. Go figure. It must be the beard. The only way we could get him to sit on his lap was to bribe him with a candy cane. He lasted about two seconds. Cole asked for zuzu pets and Jake asked for legos and a bike that spins. Although, Jake did bring home a letter to Santa from school. It was the sweetest thing ever. It said:
Dear Santa,
I have been trying to be a good boy this year. Well you probley all ready know because you proboley got the letter I already sent you. But the main think I want for cristmas is love from my familey. I'v had amazing christmases because of 1 thing. The love you have brought to my family. Love, from Jake Jeffrey Jamieson


Everyone got here a week before christmas for our annual family christmas party. We exchange gifts from siblings and cousins and play the awesome 7-11 game! And of course, do the nativity. This year, I found one online that is only about 3 minutes long because the attention span of my children alone does not last more than that! It was about Bossie the cow and how some baby came in and stole his manger. Cole was Bossie and played his part well as he had NO desire to be Bossie. I keep thinking that one year he will want to participate. Last year he was upset because he was Joseph but desperately wanted to be the baby Jesus. Love him.


Took the firemen cookies for christmas and got to have a tour of the fire station.


We got to listen to Cole (and Jake) but mostly Cole play jingle bells and up on the housetop on the piano as loud and as fast as he can. Over. And over. And over. All day.

Jeff and I got to attend the Sunday morning session of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's christmas program. We tried to park for 40 minutes, which should have taken 5. I keep telling Jeff that he needs to learn to listen to me, but it does not seem to be working very well. We ended up having great seats, but not together. At least we got in! And it was amazing!

The little kiddos got to wake up to a Christmas Eve breakfast of snowman doughnuts and cookies. According to Jake it was the "BEST BREAKFAST EVER!"


Christmas Eve means new jammies. And decorating cookies and gingerbread houses for Santa. And mixing up magic reindeer food so that the reindeer can fly. Christmas carols and The night before Christmas.


Christmas morning equals magic!!



HOPE YOU ALL HAD A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!